Case of the Missing Asuka
by sanakito
Summary: yeah, that's right...MISSING! Dare ya to read it...


(I don't own the Saint Tail characters, but I own everyone else. Enjoy!)

This story speaks of an unknown character: Asuka Jr.'s Mother. I never remembered hearing about her in the series or the anime, but if anyone knows about her, please let me know. She is someone I think would be a powerful influence to her son. So I created her into this character.

Case of the Missing Asuka

Asuka Jr. is in a dream with his mother...

"Daiki..."

"Mommy!" He runs and hugs her. "Why do you have to go?"

"I'm sorry, honey. I do this to save people."

"Don't go!" He squeezed her.

"It is my duty. I'm sorry. If...If I don't come back..." He's crying. "Your father will take good care of you. Who knows? You might become a detective like him..."

"Mommy..."

"Goodbye, Daiki Jr.. I love you." She went inside a car and drove off.

He wakes up. 'Mom...' He gets dressed for school. Last night, he didn't catch Saint Tail again.

"You still didn't catch her, huh?" His friends said...again. He says nothing and sits in his seat.

"Don't worry about him," Ryoko said, "She's too smart for him."

"Yeah," Kyoko agreed.

"Calm down, you two," Seira interrupted.

"He'll never catch her. He should give up..." Meimi looked over to Asuka Jr. The girls were expecting him to come over and fuss at them, but he just stood there in his seat. "Huh? What's wrong with him?"

"He's given up..." Ryoko said.

'No. That can't be it,' Meimi thought. 'Alex? Can you hear me?'

'Yeah,' he replied.

'There's something wrong with Asuka Jr. Could you tell me what it is?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'You told me not to hypnotize him or read his mind. You forgot?'

'This is serious. I've never seen him so...quiet. Please.'

'I won't do it. Figure it out for yourself. If you two are friends, I'm sure he'll tell you.'

'You're right.'

Class started and when the Sister asked Asuka Jr. to answer her, since he was the one with the highest grade in the class, for the first time, he refused. Everyone is shocked.

"You don't look so good," Sister said. "Go to the nurse's office." He gets up and goes to the nurse's office. Meimi raises her hand and walks up to the instructor.

"Could I use the bathroom?"

"Go ahead." She leaves, trying to catch Jr. He was already at the nurse's office. She opened the door. He was resting on the sick bed.

"Junior..." He wakes up, hearing that familiar voice.

"Haneoka? Are you sick, too?"

"No. I came to see if you were all right..."

"...I'm fine."

"No, you're not!" She sits on the bed with him. "If it was about Saint Tail..."

"It's not that..." He looks at her. A look of concern. "Haneoka...I really don't want to talk about it..."

"You don't have to. I'll just torture you until you do."

"Huh?" Meimi goes inside the nurse's closet. He stares at the door for minutes. Then, the door opens. Meimi is dressed as a nurse with a needle in her hand. "What the--"

"Come here, Junior. You need a shot!" She said, squeezing the needle's juices out. He laughs. She sees this as a good thing and keeps 'torturing' him. "Let me take your TEMPERATURE!" She said, sounding like an old woman. He keeps laughing. "I'll make you some oatmeal soup. Fills ya right up, I tell you."

"All right, all right," he said, still laughing. "I give. You win."

"Good."

"Last night, I had this dream..."

"About Saint--"

"My mom." Her eyes went wider. 'Now that I think about it, I've never seen Asuka Jr.'s mom before...' she thought. "Well, it was more like a memory. When I was 5, she left me and my dad to serve in the Armed Forces."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She was always a hero to me. I've waited years for her...she never came back." He starts to cry.

"Asuka Jr..." She hugs him, his chest against her bosom. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Why is this happening to me? Why am I dreaming about her? I haven't seen her in 12 years..."

"Maybe God is trying to tell you something," Seira said, walking in. "Going to the bathroom, huh?"

"Heh heh..."

"Asuka Jr., don't think of this memory as a bad thing."

"...I guess."

"If you want, I will be your mother..." Meimi said.

"What?"

"Daiki..." Asuka's eyes went wide when Meimi said his first name. It sounded just like he remembered it!

"...Ok." She blushes at his agreement for her to be his mother.

'I'm Asuka Jr.'s mom...hee-hee...'

'Don't take advantage of him in his stage.' Alex said.

'Right. I'm here to cheer up, not take advantage.' Getting back to Asuka Jr., she feels his head. "You don't have fever. You'll be Ok."

"I feel better. Thanks, mom."

"Anytime. Now get up. You're missing class. Let's go." He gets up. They all go back to class together.

"Are you Ok now, Asuka?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good." After class ended, Asuka Jr. went to Meimi, who was talking with her friends.

"Hey." They all look at him.

"Huh? He's...glowing!!" Ryoko said.

"I can't see!!" Kyoko said.

"Are they Ok?" He asked Meimi.

"They'll be fine. Did you want something?"

"Yeah..." Then he goes to Meimi's ear and whispers, "but we can't discuss it with them...MOM."

"Oh." When her friends finally came around from the light, they were already gone. "You wanna go get some ice cream?"

"Do I!?" They went to the ice cream parlor. They both ordered chocolate, their favorite. They went to the park and sat on the bench, eating their ice cream.

"So how are things at school?" She asked.

"Still the smartest."

"That's my boy." Then, Asuka Jr. notices a spot of chocolate on Meimi's cheek. "Huh?"

"You've got some chocolate on your cheek. I'll get it." He licks her cheek, and she went a deep red. "Mom, you Ok?"

"Fine, honey." 'Ah! He licked my cheek!' She touches the spot where he licked. Then she notices he has a spot on his cheek. 'Should I do it?'

'Don't do it. You're his mom!'

'Alex, get out of my head! I got this.'

'All right.'

"Dear, you have some chocolate on your face. I'll get it." She licks his cheek. He laughs.

"That tickles."

"Really?" She does it again. He's still giggling. "You wanna get on the swing?"

"Ok." They get up and she swings him. He starts swinging higher and higher. "Mom! Look at me!"

"Don't go so high! You might get hurt!" She screamed.

"Ok." He slows down and gets off. "Let me swing you."

"Um...that's Ok."

"C'mon...please?" He gives a begging look. 'Wow...he looks so cute right now...' she thought.

"...Just one time, Ok?"

"Ok." She gets on. He pushes her. She's having fun, so she swings higher. "Mom, not so high..."

"Right." She gets off. "Wow. Look how time flew. You should probably--"

"Mom, could you do me one last favor?"

"Anything for you." In that instant, he saw Meimi for a second and blushed.

"Spend the night with me."

"WHAT!?" Meimi's back.

"You said you'd do anything for me..." He looks down. 'Oh boy...' She thought.

"I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"...It's Ok. Could you at least take me home?"

"Ok." They go walking to his house.

Meanwhile, at his house, his father, Detective Asuka, has just returned from a serious case overseas. He looks in his mailbox and is shocked at the letter he finds.

'That can't be!' he thought. Meimi and Asuka Jr. makes it to his house. They notice his father.

"Isn't that your dad?"

"Yeah. Must've gotten back from that case overseas." They walk to him. "Hey, pops."

"Daiki...look." He said, giving his son the letter. Asuka Jr. reads it and his eyes popped out.

"What is it?" She asked, looking at both of their expressions.

"It's..." Senior started.

"Mom." Junior finished. "She's...coming over from America."

"That's great!" Their expressions stay the same. "Isn't it?"

"Well, if anyone would like to see their wife after 12 years, it'd be me, but..." Senior started.

"Since she's been in the Armed Forces, she's been very strict about things when she calls home." Junior finished. Then, they both looked at Meimi.

"Huh?"

"Haneoka..."  
"Kind lady..." They said simultaneously. "Will you join us for dinner tomorrow?"

"Um...Ok. I guess."

"You will?" They both said with gleeful expressions on their faces.

"Yeah. But I gotta go home now. Um...see you tomorrow."

"Bye." She runs off. 'Creepy,' she thought.

"You're telling me," a voice said.

"Huh?" She sees Alex in his car not too far. "Alex what are you doing here?"

"To take you home." She gets in and they drive off. "He got to you again, huh?"

"BOTH of them."

"Creepy. Do you honestly think your parents will allow you to stay over at a BOY'S HOUSE...BY YOURSELF?"

"..."

"You want me to go with you?"

"Would you? Judging by the way they reacted to that letter, I'm gonna need help."

"Plus, it'll save you from what we Americans call...a good-talking-to."

"Yeah. That, too." They make it home.

"Mom, dad, Alex and I are gonna go to the Asuka's house tomorrow night. Is that Ok?"

"I don't see why not." Eimi gladly agreed.

"As long as you stay with your cousin," Her father added, "I don't want that boy on my Meimi."

"Dad..."

"As for you, Alex..." He said. He appears before him in an evil way, freaking Alex out. "If my Meimi is hurt...she'll no longer have a cousin...understand!?"

"Loud and clear, sir!" He quickly replied.

"Ok, then."

Next morning, at school...

"Hey, Asuka Jr." Sawatari called out for him.

"Yeah?"

"Look!" He shoves a newspaper in his face. Asuka Jr.'s eyes went wide with shock. "Is it true? Is your mother, the world's first female armed forces general coming here!!?"

"Yeah."

"Wow!" That was before Asuka Jr. even went to his classroom. When he did... He couldn't get inside.

"Asuka Jr.!" His classmates shouted. "Your mother! She's so strong!"

"Independent!" Another one said.

"Beautiful," Sawatari added. Meimi and Seira make it to the classroom. "And very popular."

"Why's everyone at the front door?" Seira asked.

"Asuka Jr.'s mom, Sakura Asuka (made up name, bare with me), is coming to Japan from America."

"The World's First Armed Forces General!?" Seira said, also admiring her success.

"Yeah. Seira, get a hold of yourself!"

"Oh. Sorry."

"What's the meaning of this?" The Sister asked them.

"Well, everyone's bunched up at the front door because Asuka Jr.'s mom is coming here."

"THE WORLD'S FIRST ARMED FORCES GENERAL!? SAKURA ASUKA!!?" She shouted, admiring.

"Not her, too." Seira joins her in admiration.

"A true warrior of God's image!" They said together.

"SENSEI!" She shouted. Sister and Seira snaps out of it. "Class?"

"Ah, right." When everyone was finally settled in their seats, the front door opens. "Huh?" A female woman walked inside. Everyone's eyes went wide at who they were seeing.

"...Mom." Asuka Jr. said.

"ASUKA-SAMA!!!" Everyone shouted, except Meimi and Asuka Jr.

"Ohayou, minna," she replied. She walks fully inside in the room. She goes around until she encounters a familiar person. "Daiki..."

"Mom..." They just stare at each other.

"You've grown so much..." He stands there, frozen. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Of course. It's been years..."

"I came...for you."

"Huh?"

"I came to see you. I missed you."

"I missed you, too." She moves over to her desk and holds her son. All the girls are 'Aww'.

"What brings you here, Asuka-sama?"

"I just came here to see my son." He blushes. 'She doesn't seem like a strict person,' she thought. "I've gotta go. I went this way without seeing your father. Ja ne."

"Sayounara, Asuka-sama!" The classmates said.

When school was over...

"Hey, Junior." Meimi said.

"Yea?"

"Your mom doesn't seem so strict..."

"That's because we were around a lot of people. She's how I've become who I am."

"Huh?"

"Before she left for the Armed Forces, she'd always made sure I was doing my work, that I got good grades, that I was taken care of. And look at me now."

"Yeah. I guess, then, you get all your good grades and stuff from her, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess you can say that. You're still coming tonight, right?"

"Yeah. About that...Alex is coming, too."

"Why?"

"Well, my parents won't let me go on to someone else's house by myself."

"...Ok. I understand."

"Ok. See you tonight."

"Right." They take their separate ways. When Meimi arrived home...

"I'm--" She sees a familiar figure. "Mrs. Asuka?"

"Why, hello. I remember you from just this morning. So, you're my boy's friend. Meimi, right?"

"Yes."

"My, you look just like your mother." She blushes.

"Thank you."

"I heard you were coming over to our house for dinner. How thoughtful of you."

"Thank you." Alex walks in the door. He eyes are shocked at the figure he sees. Then, Mrs. Asuka notices who's at the door and her eyes went wide, too.

"Alex..."

"Sakura? What are you--"

"Huh? YOu two know each other?"

"When I went to high school in America, she was our JROTC teacher."

"JROTC?"

"It's a vocational course dealing with army-like things."

"Oh. I see. But why are you calling her by her first name? That's so rude!"

"It's Ok, Meimi-chan."

"Huh?"

"He was one of my best students. He even taught me some things. Since we're not in class, I told him not to call me ma'am."

"Oh."

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit my son..."

"That's great."

"He's grown so much. He's the best student in the class, He's a detective, just like his father..."

"And he knows magic tricks," Meimi added.

"Really? Suzukushii!" She said, getting all red over her son's accomplishments. 'She doesn't seem strict at all...'

'She was only strict with her students and her family. That's it.'

"I'd better get going to prepare for this dinner. See you later, then?"

"Hai."

"Ja ne." She leaves.

"We better get ready." Alex said.

Night fell and they dressed up for their dinner with the Asukas...all of the Asukas. Alex takes them to Asuka Jr's house.

"Oh. You're here." Asuka Jr. said, looking at Meimi. Then, he looks at Alex. "Well, come on in."

"It smells good."

"Yeah. I went all out."

"You..can COOK?"

"I know!" Sakura said, suddenly appearing behind Alex, scaring him. "My boy is so talented!"

"Heh heh..."

"Well, dinners almost ready. Why don't you two sit down?" They sit down at the table with enough chairs for everybody." Asuka Jr.'s mother set the food on the table. "All right. Let's eat!" They eat. "So, how long have you known Daiki?" She asked Meimi.

"Since elementary school."

"Really? That's wonderful. Daiki, why didn't you invite any of your other friends?" Meimi and his mother stared at him.

"I wanted this dinner to be small...with as few people as possible."

"So, Sakura--"

"How dare you call her--"

"Daiki. It's Ok. He's one of my best students."

"Huh?"

"I was in your mother's JROTC class."

"Class? You were a teacher?"

"Yes."

"So you weren't in the Armed Forces all this time?"

"I was in the Armed Forces for 7 years. The other 5, I decided to teach others the way of the soldier."

"So what you're telling me is that you wait until after the 5 years you were not in the Armed Forces...to come see me?"

"Daiki..."

"Just how much do you care about me, Mom?"

'Uh-oh. I don't like the looks of this,' Alex thought to Meimi.

'We gotta do something. We don't want them fighting...'

'Like what?'

'I don't know. You're the adult. Think of something.'

"Very much. How could you ask such a thing?"

"Why did you wait until now to come see me? Answer me!" He shouted at his mom.

"I...I was afraid, Ok!?"

"Afraid of what?"

"Daiki..." She started to cry. "I was scared that you would hate me..."

"Why would I--"

"Daiki, I left you for 12 years...for my own selfish gains. I missed you everyday. I would've came back sooner, a lot sooner, but I was afraid that you would hate me for what I did."

"Mom, it's Ok. You've helped me enough to get through everything...You taught me enough to get by."

"I love you, Daiki..."

"I love you, too." He holds her as she weeps on his shoulder. "Mom, promise me something."

"What is it?"

"Stay here...with me."

"Huh?"

"I want us to catch up. Is that Ok with you?"

"...YES!" She cries again. "I would love that."

The End?

THE END


End file.
